ity uktavantaṁ puruṣaṁ purātanaṁ
mahānubhāvo 'khila-sādhu-sammataḥ
baddhāñjalir bāṣpa-kalākulekṣaṇo
bhakty-utkalo gadgadayā girābravīt
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca-Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti-thus; uktavantam-upon the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puruṣam-unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purātanam-the oldest of everyone; mahā-anubhāvaḥ-Bali Mahārāja, who was a great and exalted soul; akhila-sādhu-sammataḥ-as approved by all saintly persons; baddha-añjaliḥ-with folded hands; bāṣpa-kala-ākula-īkṣaṇaḥ-whose eyes were filled with tears; bhakti-utkalaḥ-full of ecstatic devotion; gadgadayā-which were faltering in devotional ecstasy; girā-by such words; abravīt-said.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Mahārāja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul, Bali Mahārāja, his eyes filled with tears, his hands folded and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows.